Thursday 28 July 2011

Wonderful Copenhagen

Aamanns Copenhagen - smorrebrod

Aamanns Copenhagen - smorrebrod

Lunch in Copenhagen couldn't get much better than a selection of smorrebrod from Aamanns. Opened by Adam Aamann in 2006 he has since received a honorary diploma from the Danish Academy of Gastronomy for his elevation of the traditional open sandwich to the level of gastronomic artistry. 
In Denmark there is a real sense of eating with your eyes. Like the Japanese sensibility, flavours and textures are combined whether fresh, raw, cooked, pickled, preserved to give a harmonious delight to both eye and palate. Our selection featured the most succulent, melt in your mouth sirloin beef with home made tiny crispy onions, a remoulade of root vegetables and fresh horseradish. A wonderfully subtly smoked mackerel with dill pickled cucumber. A vinegar pickled herring with super sweet green tomatoes, shallots and sour cream, and finally sliced new potatoes with sour cream, chives and radish all served on the most delicious home baked rye bread.
Sandwiches have rarely tasted so good.

Monday 4 July 2011

Transform me into a handsome fish



Si Dio mi transformasse in un bel pesce
E mi gettasse nel mare piu profondo
Potesse giungere un pescatore a pescarmi
E a vendermi in una piazza d'amore
Potesse venire la mia amante a comprarmi
E mi friggesse in una padella d'oro
Non avrei alcuna pena di bruciare
Basa che potessi entrare nel suo cuoro


Should God transform me into a handsome fish
And throw me into the deepest sea
Perhaps a fisherman would catch me
And sell me in a place of love
Perhaps my love would come and buy me
And fry me in a golden pan
I would have no trouble burning
For that would be enough that I could enter into her heart


Traditional Sicilian folk songs focused upon the themes of life - love, work, food, celebration and death. According to Sergio Bonanzinga, Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology at the University of Palermo, "This song is based on a 19th century romance model which filtered with significant adaptation into the rural milieu. The text is one of the most moving love poems of Sicilian repertoire." The poetic imagery clearly indicates depth of feeling but also connectivity with the sea, fishing and of course food. 


Fish here in the UK is unfortunately a luxury both in terms of procuring it and in the variety that we are offered. Of course there are exceptions to the paltry, dried up offerings on sale at the supermarket. A few wet fish shops survive and in doing attract people from far and wide. On the whole our relationship with fish, as with so many fresh food products, has been reduced to the abstract. No longer do we want to approach a fish with its head and bones intact. Integrity and with it flavour has been sacrificed in favour of convenience. To ask for whole fish singles you out, according to a fishmonger in Gloucester Avenue, as not being British! If that's the case I am a happy alien who will continue to buy, cook and savour whole fresh fish.




Music courtesy of:  Sicile: Musique Populaires/ Sicily: Folk Music, November 2004, Ocora
Image: Visual Athletics Club


Places to buy fresh fish in London:
Granville Arcade, Brixton Market, Brixton
Le Petite Poissonnerie, Gloucester Avenue, Primrose Hill
Fish Works, Marylebone High Street